HIIT is one of the most popular workout styles.
I absolutely love HIIT (high-intensity interval training)—probably because I am really good at it. Aside from lifting heavy weights (i.e. barbell work), it’s where I really excel. Seriously, that feeling of digging deep and giving every ounce you have as you fight to make it through a grueling workout really appeals for me. That said, I don’t find HIIT classes easy by any means, especially when I haven’t taken one in a few months. Still, Fhitting Room proved to be a worthy adversary. Here’s what you need to know about this boutique studio HIIT workout.
HIIT basics: HIIT is all about quick, intense bursts of exercise followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. It’s one of the most popular workout modalities (and number three on the American College of Sports Medicine’s top 2019 fitness trends). What draws people to it? Participants do less work at a higher intensity, and that results in a bigger burn. It’s also accessible—you can literally do it anywhere at any time, in a group class or on your own. What’s more, HIIT brings on an afterburn effect, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This ups your calorie burn even after your workout is over.
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What Fhitting Room says you’ll get: I took the 50-minute Signature FHIX class, which the fitness studio says “combines functional movements, high-intensity intervals, strength training, varied exercises, and a total-body focus to promise you a workout that’s a step above the rest.”
What I got: A high-energy HIIT class that did not disappoint. I enjoyed the structure: The workout was broken down into a clear warm-up, a cardio circuit, a strength section, and then the studio’s infamous FHIX, which is basically a metabolic finisher or an intense 2- to 10-minute push at the end of your workout meant to really empty your tank. I also liked the fact that I never become bored thanks to the constantly changing exercises (burpees, alternating kettlebell cleans, pushups, rowing, etc.). Fhitting Room gets more bonus points for demo-ing each exercise in each segment before having participants perform them, as well as for having two instructors teaching the class and guiding each participant through the moves.
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Yes, it’s for you: If you like intense classes that make you drip sweat, push you beyond your comfort zone, and offer variety in terms of modalities as well as moves, you’ll like this workout.
You should pass: This class is super fast-paced, so if you are shaky on your form or are a newbie to exercise, you may want to steer clear until you nail basic form—though the instructors give a detailed breakdown of how to perform each move before you do them. If you don’t work well with others, you make want to reconsider this class, as sometimes you have to partner up to complete a specific workout element.
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